Camouflage marketing is an advertising method that uses psychological triggers to help potential customers draw conclusions about a business simply by the appearance that is portrayed. This marketing approach is tailored to JV marketing ventures because it effectively utilizes the experience and expertise of your JV partners at the same time it sells your own business.

JV partnerships open up a wealth of camouflage marketing options that can bring a good return without much upfront cost. Check out this overview of camouflage marketing you can use in your own joint ventures.

Expertise vs. Advertising

To encourage customers to buy from your company for the first time, you must establish your credibility first and foremost. This is where camouflage marketing comes in. Instead of placing an ad on your JV partner’s website, publish an article or press release about the industry you work in. 

For example, if you sell swimming gear, write an article about how to find a credible swim school. You are showing yourself to be knowledgeable in the field of swimming, which will entice customers to buy your products as well. Add a link in your article that sends customers directly to your website, and you are already halfway to the sale.

While you are doing your business a great service by “camouflaging” your advertising in this manner, you are doing nothing sneaky or dishonest in terms of your customers. Instead of placing an obvious advertisement on your partner’s website, you are choosing to share information with potential customers about a topic they are interested in. Customers can easily tell the difference between an article with outside links and a blatant ad. If the information you provide in your article is accurate and helpful, customers will be more likely to turn to you for their practical needs as well.

Cost Saving

The other advantage to camouflage marketing is that it often costs you less money than posting a large advertisement for your business. In some cases, articles can be posted for free on your JV partner’s website and article directories.  This approach costs much less than posting a large advertisement in a similar fashion, and you may reap additional customers through the perception of your expertise in your chosen field.

Drawbacks to Camouflage Marketing

Despite the many benefits of camouflage marketing, there are some drawbacks to consider. It is very difficult to predict the response you will receive to this type of advertising since you are, in part, subject to the guidelines and schedule of the person or website that is posting your article. To help overcome this issue, most business owners will place a traditional advertisement at the same time. A large advertisement can be done to your specifications, ensuring more control over this style of marketing.

Camouflage marketing is nothing mysterious or dishonest, but it can be quite effective in attracting prospective customers. When you combine your JV partnership with camouflage marketing techniques, you can raise your customer base exponentially.

Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A Joint Venture Marketing firm. He exemplifies how to profit from Joint Venture relationships by creating profit centers with minimal risk and maximum profitability.

To discover more Joint Venture Marketing Strategies join his free report on Joint Venture Marketing.